Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



W. GOLCHER.

Breech Loading' Fire-Arm.

Patented Oct. 19,1869.

Inventor;

anti ctiljlinc.

Letters Patent No. 95,998, dated October 19, 1869.

' IMPROVEMENT BREECH-LOADING-FIRE-ARMS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it .known that I, WILLIAM GOLGHER, of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey, and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and improved Snap-Catch for Breech-Loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and 'exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which--- Figure 1 is a side view, a portion being shown in longitudinal section.

Figure .2 is a cross section, taken through line x a: of fig. 1.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple,

convenient, and effective means for fastening downthe breech of guns of the class above named, it being so constructed that it occupies but little space, is cheap, easily applied and operated, and not liable to break orget out of order.

In the drawings The breech-plate is represented in dark colors, the barrel and stock, which it connects, being shown in red; Of this breechplate, A is that portion which extends under and supports the barrel, being articulated to it at a. p

B is that portion which is countersunk into the upper side of the stock at the bend of the breech; and H isythe vertical breech-block between and connecting the parts A B.

C is a sliding catch, provided with a thumb-piece, c, and working longitudinally with the gun, it being supported in the part B, in which the most of it is countersunk, as seen in the drawing.

A stem or pin, D, having a head, (I, on its lower end, extends down through a slot, 1), in the part B, and serves the double purpose of locking the catch down in place while guiding it in its longitudinal movement.

E is a lever, pivoted to a pin, 0, and having an cecentric head, m, gainst which a spring, a, presses, so

of the centre of the sliding latch. rangement is more complex than mine, and not 'byspace, and, as willbe readily seen, not liable to getout of order. I

I am aware 'that a snap-catch, something like that above described, has been employed by \V. Richards for a similar purpose. In his catch, however, the lever swings horizontally, and acts against the lowerend of the pin, corresponding to D, in mine. The latter pin, therefore, is not and cannot well be made with a head like mine, and the pin has to be set on one side The whole arany means so substantial and so little liable to get out of repair.

I do not claim a snap-catch for fire-arms, in which the lever, corresponding to E, swings horizontally, nor one in which the pin, corresponding to D, is not provided with a head to keep the sliding latch firmly down upon its supporting-plate, nor onein which the lever acts otherwise against the spring than with its eccentric head; but

\Vhat I do claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is as follows, viz:

The snap-catch for fire-arms, as above described, consisting essentially of the slide-latch (l, the stern D, having a head, (1, that slidesiu contact with the under edges of the slot in the supporting-plate through which the stem extends, the inclined lever E, working in a vertical plane against the stem D, above the head at, and provided with an eccentric end, an, against which the spring a, presses vertically, when said parts are constructed and arranged to operate in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

WM. GOLOHER.

Witnesses:

J. H. MATHEWS, (l. A. PETTIT. 

